Explores the unintended consequences of civic activism in a disaster-prone city

After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of people swiftly mobilized to rebuild their neighborhoods, often assisted by government organizations, nonprofits, and other major institutions. InRethinking CommunityResilience, Min Hee Go shows that these recovery efforts are not always the panacea they seem to be, and can actually escalate the citys susceptibility to future environmental hazards.

Drawing upon interviews, public records, and more, Go explores the hidden costs of community resilience. She shows thatdespite good intentionsrecovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina exacerbated existing race and class inequalities, putting disadvantaged communities at risk. Ultimately, Go shows that when governments, nonprofits, and communities invest in rebuilding rather than relocating, they inadvertently lay the groundwork for a cycle of vulnerabilities. As cities come to terms with climate change adaptationrather than preventionRethinking CommunityResilienceprovides insight into the challenges communities increasingly face in the twenty-first century.

Min Hee Gois Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea.Her research interests broadly concern key issues in urban politics, including inequality, sustainable development, and civic participation. Prior to joining Ewha, Go earned her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and taught as Assistant Professor at Brooklyn College, the City University of New York (CUNY).